Gun holding device



T. J. ZIMMERMAN GUN HOLDING DEVICE Dec. 22, 1931.

Filed Dec. 5, 1929 Zn wanton Z'Jlz'mmerman Patented 22,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE moms .m'oxsou W, or menu. rroamn our nomime nnv'icn minimal filed December 1m. mm in. 411,000.

This invention relates to improvements in gun retaining or holding devices and has for an object to provide a clamp especially adapt ed for use in holding or retaining in rest positions upon automobiles and like vehicles, for the express purpose of preventing injury to the vehicle occupants in event or accidental discharge thereo the arrangescent and construction of the device be 5 such that a gun may be conveniently an quickly engaged in the same and when so engaged, positively prevented from accidental or undue displacement, yet, which, when 1t is desired, may be instantly released to allow the removal of the engaged gun.

Another and equally important object of the invention may be stated to reside inthe provision of a device of the character mentioned comprehending a novel form of bracket-like securing means, which, when in closed position, will have yieldable and positive engagement with the barrel or other adjacent portion or" a gun introduced thereinto and also, may be locked in such closed position to avoid accidental disengagement, and, to a great extent, theft of said engaged gun.

Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinarter.

lin order that the invention and its mode of operation may be readily understood by persons skilled in the art, l have in the accompanying illustrative drawings, and in the detailed following description based thereon, set out several possible embodiments of the same.

In these drawings Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a motor driven vehicle having the improved gun holding device attached thereto and showing the arrangement of a gun in the same;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 look ing in the direction in which the arrows point;

Figure 3 is a detail in side elevation of the improved device, and

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through 50 a slightly modified form of the device.

ill

Having more particular reference to the drawings in connection with which like characters 0 reference will designate correspondin parts throughout, the invention may be state t'o comprise a cup-like body por- 86 tion, constructed of metal or other suitable material, indicated b the numeral 1, the normally outer end of said body portion beinggpen while attaching brackets or feet 2 are fixe y secured to the opposite end thereof and are adapted to be arranged in positions adjacent one side of the exterior portion of an automobile cowl C, by passing suitable fastening devices to apertures formed in the extremities of said feet into engagement with adjacent portions or the cowl, as indicated by the numeral 3.

Slidably received within the open and normally outer end of the body portion 1 is a shank or piece 4, the inner end of which is adapted to have hearing engagement upon the, adjacent end of an e ansible' coiled spring 5 arranged within said body portion l and having its opposite end bearing upon an adjacent portion of the closed endv of said body portion, as is clearly shown in the Figure 2. In order that limited sliding inward or outward movement of the piece 4 will be permitted and also, that the expansible coiled spring 5 may, under all conditions, be retained under a certain degree of tension by the slidably introduced piece 4, I engage through one side wall of the body portion 1, a stop or set screw 6, the inner end of which is ada ted to be engaged in a slot 7 formed in an adyacent portion of the piece 4: and disposed longitudinally thereof. Upon the outor end of the piece 4, I provide a cradle-like device or saddle 7' which, if desired, may have its outer face covered with a suitable hiding material, such as leather, fabric or the like (not shown herein).

Fixedly mounted upon or formed integral with one side of the body portion 1 adjacent the open and normally outer end thereof is a curved bearin lug 8 to which, there is pivotally connecte as at 9, a segmental or curved link 10, the opposite or free end of which has a second and substantiall straight link 11 pivoted to the same as in 'cated by the numeral 12, the free portion of this straight link 11 being forked or bifurcated asindicated by the numeral 13 and pivotally receiving between the extremities of the bifurcated portions, throu h the medium of a not pm, rivet or the like, as at 14, a hasp-l e arm 15. In this connection, it will be noted that the hasp-like arm 15 is provided with an intermediately arranged opening 16 adapted to be on device 17 therethrough, the latter being fixedly carried u on an adjacent or corres nding portion of the body portion 1, wh e the free rtion of said arm 15 is curved upon itsel as indicated by the numeral 18, whereby to facilitate engagement therewith, especlally, at a time when the hasp is enga its staple 17. Furthermore, it is to noted that the normally inner end of the hasp-hke arm 15, that is, the end of the same ad acent its point of pivoting, as at 14, to the blfurcated rtion 13, is ormed with a curved or cam-1i e bearing surface 19, the purpose of which will be presently described.

Fixedly secured to oriformed integral with a rtion of the body portion 1, 1n opposed re ation to the lug 8, 1s a second lug or keeger lug 20, one side of which is formed wit a curved or cam-like bearing surface 21, corresponding in curvature to that of the bearing surface 19 formed upon the normally 1nner end of the hasp-like arm 15.

Fixedly carried upon the normally inner side of the intermediate portion of the curved or segmental link 10, is an arm 22 formed upon its free end witha saddle-like plece 23, corresponding to the saddle 7' carried upon the opposed end of the slidable piece or shank 4. In this connection, it will be noted that with closing of the device, that is, movement of the same to the position as is shown in the Figure 2, the arm 22 with its saddle 23 will be arranged in longitudinally opposed relation with respect to the saddle 7 upon the shank or piece 4.

In usage of the improved gun retaining device, it will be noted, upon reference to the Figure 1, that the same is secured to one side of an automobile cowl C, preferably, in 9 proximity to the curved top thereof and that the article or gun embracing means constituted by the lug 8, the segmental link and the straight link 11 together with the hasp are arranged for movement in a horizontal 4 56 plane. Also, as a means to receive the butt of the stock of a (gun G whereby to retain the same upon the a jacent running board of an equipped automobile, I provide a cup-like retammg device 24, the shape and size of' r 00 which is such as to permit of readyyet comparatively snug placement and reception of the gun stock butt therein, in the fashion as is shown in the Figure 1; particular atten tion being invited to the fact that this cuplike stock butt receiving cup is so positioned ged over or to receive a staple or similar ed over upon the automobile running board 5,, as to permit the positioningl of the gun, at rest 0- sition, ina substantia y vertical plane. e cup 24, of course, ma be fixedly secured to the proper portion 0 the running board b, b passing suitable fastening devices through t e bottom thereof and into engagement with adjacent portions of said running board and furthermore, it will be understood and ap- Ereciated, that the bottom of this cup may e provided with a suitable cushion (not shown herein) as for example, a sheet of rubber, felt or other material, for the purpose of groviding a cushioning support for the gun an als'o, for preventing mutilation of the stock butt.

To engage the gun G in the holding device, the article embracing means comprebending the segmental link 10, the straight link 11 and the hasp 15, are swun to that open position as is shown in dotte lines in the Figure 2. At this time, the gun stock butt is inserted within the receiving cup 24 whereupon thev upper portion of the n and in most instances, the barrel thereo is engaged upon the saddle portion 7 of the slidable shank or piece 4. At this time, the article embracing means comprehending the segmental link 10, the straight link 11 and the hasp 15, are swung to their closed positions, as is shown in full lines in the Figure 2; the hasp being en aged over the sta le 17 whereupon a padloc pin or other suita le fastening device (not shown herein) may be passed through the staple to prevent undue or accidental disengagement of said has 15 from said staple. At this time, it wil be noted that the saddle 23 upon the arm 22 carried by the se mental link 10 will have been brought into landing engagement with the adjacent portion of the gun G and in doing so, will impart an inward thrust thereto. This inward thrust of the engaged portion of the gun G, of course, will impart similar movement to the shank or iece 4 which is slidably mounted in the b0 y portion 1 and by consequence, the expansible coiled spring 5 within said body portion will be placed under a tension and this tension will be such as will cause the engaged portion of the gun to be yieldably gripped between the saddle pieces 7 and 23, hence, to prevent accidental or undue displacement of the engaged gun. Also, particular attention is invited to the fact that when the hasp 15 is moved to its closed position with respect to the staple 17, the bifurcated portion 13 of the straight link 11 will have straddling-like engagement over the fixedly mounted lug 20, aforesaid, and at this time, the curved hasplike arm 15 with its cam bearing surface 19 will be brought into bearing contact with the correspondingly curved portion 21 of said lug 20. Hence, as the hasp-like arm 15 is swung inwardly upon its pivot pin 14, the

en aged cam-like bearing surfaces and 21 wi 1 cause the hasp-like arm 15 to 1m art a slightly inward pull to the straight link 11 and consequently, to the segmental link 10, thereby ensuring a binding or ripping engagement of the saddle 23 carried upon the arm 22 upon the adjacent or engaged portion of the gun G. Furthermore, thls peculiar construction of the inner end of the hasp 15 and the inner side of the lug 20 is suc 1 that when the hasp 15 with its curved hearing surface 19 is enga ed with the curved bearing surface 21 of t e lu or undue lateral movement of said inner end of the hasp 15 with respect to the lug 20 w1ll be prevented and because of th1s, a positn'e looking or securing connection as between said lug 20 and the asp 15 will be ensured.

To remove the gun G from the holding device, it is only necessary that the padlock or pin be removed from the staple 17, whereupon 'the hasp 15 is swung outwardly together with the links 10 and 11, to their open positions, allowing the gun G to be readll removed therefrom as well as from the cup 24 a In the Figure 4, Theme shown a modified form of the holding or securing device, in which there is provided, a body portion 1' equipped with fixedly mounted attaching brackets feet 2' adapted to be secured to an ap ropriate or desired portion of an automo iile body equipped with the invention. Apertured ears or lugs 25 arefixedly mounted upon or formed integral with the opposite sides of the normally outer end portion of the body 1 and serve to pivotally receive and support, as at 26, bracket arms 27, the outer t eatremities of which are formed with relatively inwardly curved extensions 28. A looped spring 29 is adapted to be arranged intermediately of the normally inner portions of the brackets 27, the loop portion of said spring resting upon a seat 30 provided therefor in the adjacent part of the body portion end, as is clearly shown in said Figure 4. The end portions of this looped spring are crossed, as is shown in the drawings and the free ends of the spring are attached to intermediate portions of the brackets 27' as indicated by the numeral 31, such attachment being efi'ected in an suitable manner, as for example, passing t e free ends of the looped spring through openings formed in adjacent portions of the bracket and then upsetting the extremities of the same to prevent disengagement. By reason of the positioning of the looped spring 29 between the inner portions of the brackets 27 and the connection or the free ends of said spring to the intermediate portions of these brackets, it will be understood that the inwardly curved normally inner ends of the same will be normally urged in directions toward each other. Consequently upon this, with the interposition- 20, accidental in the y stock buttin the retamingI and because of the ormation of the curvedextremities 28 thereupon, will afford effectual means for reventing accidental or undue lateral disp acement of the gun with relation to the device.

ortions of the inner sides of the brackets 2 ma be formed with curved seats, as indicated y the numeral 32, these seats being in relatively opposed relation and being adapted to receive adjacent portions of the gun ntroduced between the brackets, therein.

In using the form of invention disclosed in the Figure 4, it is to be understood that a stock butt retaining cup such as indicated previous embodiment of the invention by the numeral 24, is employed in the same manner as it is used in said previous embodiment. Consequently, with positioning of the cup 24, the upper e then moved in- If desired,

portion of the gun may wardly through the curved extremities 28 of the brackets 27, thus forcing the same apart against the tension of the looped s ring 29 until the gun barrel or other engaged portion is moved to that position as is shown in the Figure 4, whereupon due to the spring urge imparted to the brackets 27 from the spring 29, the same would effect a gripping or embracing engagement of the inserted n and thus, will serve to effectually retain t e same in its position of rest or retention with respect to the automobile carrying'the inven Manifestly, the construction shown is capable of considerable modification, and such modification as is within the spirit of my claims I consider within the spirit of my mvention.

I claim v 1. A device of the character described, comprising a body ortion, an arm slidably received by said body portion, spring means arranged in the body portion having bearing upon said arm for normally imparting an outward thrust to the same, and article embracing means swingably connected at one end to said body portion and cooperable with said arm, the remaining end of said article embracing means being adapted to have detachable connection with the body portion.

2. device of the character described, comprising a bod y portion, an arm adjustably retained by said body portion adapted to be normally thrust outwardly with respect thereto. pivotally interconnected links, one of said links being pivotally connected to the body portion, a hasp pivotally connected to the free end of an opposite link, keeper means on the body portion having a cam-like bearing surface, and that end of said hasp 4- V nae-1,080

adjacent its ivotal mounting bein formed with a cam aring means ooopera 1e with said first cam bearin means.

3. A device of t e character described 5 comprising a body (portion, an arm slidably received b said he y portion, spring means in the bo y portion engaging said arm for normall imparting an outward thrust thereto, a p urality of pivotally interconnected links, one of said links being pivotally connected to said body portion, an arm pivotally connected to the free end of the remaining link, a keeper means upon the body portion having one of its sides formed with a cam- 16 like bearing surface, said arm having that end of the same adjacent its pivotal connection to said link formed with a cam bearing surface cooperable with the cam bearing surface of the keeper means, and means on the 20 body portion engageable with said arm for efiecting detachable securing of the same to the body portion;

4. In combination with a supporting device, a cupped gun stock butt retaining means, and a gun barrel engaging device secured to said supportin means in spaced relation to said gun stock ut receiving means and comprising a body portion, an arm adjustably retained by said body portion and adapted $0 to have a normally outward thrust imparted thereto, and article embracing means swingably connected at one end, to said body portion cooperable with said arm, at times, and the remaining end of said article embracing 85 means having detachable engagement with the body portion.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my 0 %OMAS JACKSON ZIMMERMAN. 

